harlow

• Outline Harlow's animal study into attachment findings + conclusions

  Findings: monkeys preferred contact with the towelling mother, regardless of milk production.

  -monkeys fed from the wire mother while clinging to the towelling mother for comfort.

  - when frightened, monkeys clung to the towelling mother
• What did Harlow find about maternally deprived monkeys as adults?

  - Harlow found severe and lasting consequences for maternally deprived monkeys as adults.

  - there is a critical period of 3 months where reintroduction to a monkey caregiver is possible.

  - monkeys raised by both plain and cloth-covered 'mothers' did not develop normal social behavior.

  - they exhibited increased aggression, reduced sociability, and lower mating skills.

  - as mothers, deprived monkeys displayed neglect and aggression towards their young, even causing harm and death in some cases.
• What is the critical period for normal development?

  - similar to Lorenz, Harlow concluded that there is a critical period of 90 days for attachment formation.

  - if attachment hasn't formed within this time, it is believed to be irreversible, leading to lasting consequences.
• Harlow animal study aim and procedure 


  Aim: Test Learning theory by comparing attachment behavior in baby monkeys given a wire surrogate mother producing milk with those given a soft toweling mother producing no milk.

  Procedure: in a controlled environment, infant monkeys reared with two mother surrogates

  • two surrogate mothers: harsh wire mother and soft toweling mother
  • time spent with each mother was recorded
  • 16 monkeys - half with cloth mother dispensing milk and the other half with plain wire mother dispensing milk
  • tested mother's preference during stress with loud noises
• conclusions of Harlows study 


  Conclusion: Rhesus monkeys show an innate, unlearned need for contact comfort,

  suggesting attachment prioritizes emotional security over food.

  contact comfort is associated with lower stress levels and a willingness to explore, indicating emotional security.
• real-world value - Harlow

  P: strength - real-world applications

  E: helps social workers and psychologists to understand that lack of bonding experience may be a risk factor in child development and allows them to intervene when necessary

  E: also helps us understand the importance of attachment figures for baby monkeys and breeding programs in the wild

  L: therefore Harlows research practical
• generalisability - Harlow

  P: limitation - unable to generalize findings to humans

  E: rhesus monkeys are more similar to humans than Lorenz birds and share some common attachment behaviors

  E: However human brain and behavior more complex to rhesus monkeys

  L: therefore not appropriate to generalize Harlows findings to humans